Hearts of the Children
by C.S. Skywalker
Summary: It has been 20 years since the Straw Hat crew has mysteriously vanished off the face of the earth, only broadcasting to the world that they had found One Piece. Can a young man looking to surpass his forefathers grow to be stronger than his idol, Trafalgar Law and the Pirate King, Luffy? OC's submissions accepted. Submissions open. ON INDEFINITE HIATUS
1. Resolve of Lynch Cassanova!

_**A/N:**_ _Hi guys! I know if you're following me avidly, I have two projects going on at the moment, but if any of you are writers, you know that focusing on one story can get rough sometimes. After beta-ing an SYOC fic by flamesofthebluebird (check it out!), I have gotten in the mood to try it again. I've tried to do an SYOC twice before on a different account and failed. A lot. It's hard and difficult and it requires more in-depth research than an OC insert fic, but if you'll bear with me, I hope you'll enjoy this take on One Piece._

 _Please submit an OC of any kind (main members of the crew, rival pirate crews, marines, revolutionaries). We will discuss the OC and if I don't like it, I may not take it. There is the chance for that. If I do like it, I'll give you the credit and we can talk about how to implement them into the story. Look on my profile page for further details._

 _Be sure to check out my other two fics, Fire and Steel (featuring Ace) and Death's Advocate (featuring Law)._

 _Thanks for picking up this fic, and without further ado, here we go!_

* * *

 **I**

 **I Am Not My Father! Resolve of Lynch Cassanova!**

A young man in his mid-twenties walked along a brick pathway to a hidden shack in the middle of the night. He jogged at a fast clip, the moonlight glinting in his silver hair as he ran away from the spacious mansion that loomed brightly behind him.

Reaching the shack, he burst it open, dust flying out and making him cough. The walls creaked eerily as he cautiously stepped into the old, rotting building, the only light coming from his dimly lit lamp.

The stairs groaned under the weight of his feet as he made his way up, batting cobwebs away from him face. The pictures on the wall of his progenitors glowed ghoulishly in the lamplight. He sneered at them. Royal blood did not make their family lines gods. His father saw himself as a deity, a noble to bring enlightenment to his people. The man didn't deserve his beautiful mother, a concubine, whom the young man loved dearly.

He walked on, determined to find out the hidden figure of crime he knew his father to be hiding. The only place he hadn't explored in the shack was the back room. The young man wasn't afraid of the dark, but he had a bad feeling about the back room. It felt like nothing he had experienced before -there was something evil in there.

Swallowing his nervousness, he made his way into the forbidden room. He grabbed the cold knob with a clammy hand and flung the door open. It was dark, except for the broken window that had cold moonlight streaming through it. The only thing in the room was a disheveled drawing desk in the back.

Cautiously, the young man tread into the room, his startlingly green eyes scanning the room for cracks or traps.

"Whoa," his breath caught in his throat.

A gaping hole sat in the middle of the room, it's jagged edges looking to swallow the young man up. He peered down the edge. There didn't seem to be an end to the hole's massive darkness. He would just have to find a way around it.

He scanned the room for another way across, spotting a thin strip of wood across the way. That would be his only way across. Edging away from the opening of the hole, he placed one foot in front of the other, his feet threatening to slip. He started to perspire, the sweat falling into his eyes. The end was almost near. It was only five, four steps until the end.

 **CRACK!** The old, wooden beam cracked with the weight of his body, unwilling to hold him any longer. The lamp flying out of his hands, he flung himself onto the other end of the hole, hanging precariously over the edge. The young man hissed in pain, feeling the splinters dig into his hands. The old floorboards creaked as he swung, fighting to gain ground and pull himself over. He knew he didn't have much time -the wood at the end of the hole was the weakest part of the flooring.

"Urgh!" he grunted as he pulled himself over, the floorboards screaming as he rolled to the other side of the room, safe at last.

Brushing himself off, he glanced at the hole that had caused him so much trouble. He'd have to remember that next time. The splinters in his hand hurt, but he was here for one reason only, and a couple of splinters wouldn't stop him.

Walking over to the desk, he pried it open. The old, stiff wood gave him some trouble, but he finally managed to get it open. What fell out made his eyes widen in shock.

Sheets after sheets of yellowed paper with the names, race, and age of people scattered themselves around the man, all of them signed with the name of his father. The young man shuffled through them. One of them had the name of his mother on it, signed by his father as the buyer.

"This has got to be a lie," he growled, sifting through more of them.

Looking closer at the papers, there was a second cosigner 'Donquixote Doflamingo'. Next to the name, a smiley face was crossed out.

The man held the papers in a fist, his hands shaking with anger. So, his mother had been a slave. That much he had expected. There was no way his father would've been able to find someone as exotic as his mother on their home island. The Joker was something he had not expected. From the data the papers held, it must have been the way that his father rose up in status. There was no way he could call himself the son of someone who had worked with the Donquixote Family. Now he knew why his father had given him that Devil Fruit when he was younger. The Joker had been known to gather Devil Fruits and make synthetic ones as well. They must've used him as a science experiment. It wasn't to make him stronger. His father had lied. He should've known.

To be part of this family was to condone the actions of Doflamingo. He had hurt that man, that man that the silver-haired young man had secretly looked up to all his life. There was no way he could stay with this family now if he wanted to surpass him. He would leave this family. He would leave and never look back.

 **XXX**

The young man sat on the dock, watching the sun rise as he waited for his childhood friend. It broke his heart to leave his mother, but it was necessary that he leave and tell no one. It was the only way.

He spotted the other man in the distance and waved. He was a tall man, wearing his customary tight-fitting long sleeved dark blue shirt. Along with the shirt, he wore black pants and black jikatabi. Two swords were clipped to his hip and they clinked together as the man made his way to the dock.

"Arashi," the young man stood.

Arashi nodded in greeting and gazed up at the sailboat that floated in the dock. "So, you're really going-bu."

"I can't stay here any longer," he replied.

"I know," Arashi nodded. "I read the message you gave me-bu."

The two men stood silently for a beat, watching the sunrise.

"The Joker was a bit of a surprise," Arashi continued. "It's because he hurt that man, isn't it? Trafalgar Law-bu?"

"He hurt my mother too," the man said. "I can't stay with a family that condones that kind of work."

"You're right," Arashi said.

"Thanks for seeing me off," the silver-haired man stood up. "I'll see you around I guess."

"I'm going with you-bu," Arashi said.

"No-"

"That's final-bu," the taller man placed his hand firmly on the other's shoulder.

"I'm going into the business of pirates, you know that right?" the man asked. "We're criminals now. This is the only way to pass Trafalgar."

"I'm not dumb-bu," Arashi said.

The man almost choked down his laughter. Arashi wasn't dumb, but his verbal tic of "-bu" made the tough guy sound like an idiot. "I know."

"Jon-"

"That's not my name anymore," the man snapped.

"Eh?" the swordsman looked confused.

The man composed himself. "I can't keep the shameful name of my family. My new name is Lynch Cassanova. Our pirate crew is going to be our new family."

"Lynch Cassanova-bu," Arashi said, testing out the name on his tongue. "It suits you I guess-bu."

Cassanova leapt onto the boat.

"Let's go, Juumonji Arashi," he said, using his friend's full name. "We're going to make a name for ourselves and surpass anyone who gets in the way! Monkey D. Luffy is dead. I'm going to be the next Pirate King!"

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _So that was the first chapter! How'd you guys like it? Constructive criticism is amazing -please review. Favorite/follow if you like how this story is going. Also, again, please send in some OCs._

 _The following have been filled:_

 _Captain/Doctor: Lynch Cassanova -mine_

 _First Mate/Swordsman: Juumonji Arashi -mine_

 _Musician: Kurokiba Leviathan - Mekyaku_

 _Cook: Raider Raiden - flamesofthebluebird_


	2. Nogyou Island: The Girl with Amber Eyes

_**A/N:**_ _Hey guys, thanks so much for picking this up -I'm overwhelmed by the number of OCs that have been submitted. I'm honored that you've trusted me with your characters and I hope to not let you down. As per usual, I will make a list at the end of the chapter listing what position has been taken._

 _Feel free to submit anything you like (a crewmember, an enemy, a Supernova, an opposing pirate crew, a marine etc.) Look on my profile page for the submission form._

 _I have also decided to depict the openings for each arc. If you'd like the listen to the songs, I have them on my Soundcloud account. Just search the same name as my username on here, and it should be there under SYOC - FULL SONGS. Cassanova's face is the cover for the playlist._

 _Thank you for picking up this fic and be sure to leave a review!_

 **Opening to Nogyuo Island Arc: Sugar Song to Bitter Step by UNISON SQUARE GARDEN** _(Kekkai Sensen Closing 1)_

 _ **(Drums open the song)**_

 _ **(Opening Guitar Riff)**_

[Cassanova stands on a grass covered cliff, turning towards the camera, a sly grin on his face. The camera pans around his body along to the beat of the drums, showing his feet, his black shirt, and then his tattooed hand.]

 _ **(Second riff)**_

[The camera switches to Arashi as he turns, a somber look on his face. The camera pans around his body to the beat of the drums, first showing his hand on his katanas, then showing his black jikatabi, and then the left half of his face where the viewer can see the scar on his eyebrow.]

 _ **(Third riff, first beat)**_

[Law is shown holding his nodachi, looking much older but almost exactly the same, with gray around the sides of his hair.]

 _ **(Fourth riff, second beat)**_

[Luffy is shown, a grin on his face, holding his straw hat onto his head as he jumps up into the air, a meaty drumstick in his other hand]

 _ **(Last beats of the opening)**_

[The letters O, N, E, P, I, E, C, E fall with each beat of the guitar, spelling out One Piece and colliding all together as they fall into the blue sky of the ocean.]

 _ **Chou tenpenchii mitai na kyousou ni mo narete konna nichijou o heiwa to mimachigau**_

[Cassanova and Arashi lounge on the deck of a ship, coasting gently through the sea. Cassanova is seen sitting on a chair, arms behind his back while Arashi rests against the mast of the ship, arms crossed. Viewers are only able to see their backs]

 _ **RAMBLING COASTER yusaburare nagara miushinaenai mono wa nan da?**_

[A Sea King comes out of nowhere, baring its fangs and roaring, scaring the two of them and Arashi jumps up, drawing his katanas and slashing the Sea King into three pieces. These pieces land on the ship and make large holes in the deck, causing Cassanova to jump out of harm's way. Cassanova yells at him while Arashi while the swordsman scratches the back of his head.]

 _ **Byoudousei genrishugi no gainen ni nomarete kokoro made ga marude etosetora**_

[Arashi is showing doing push-ups on the deck, a mass of weights sitting on his back as he keeps adding to the stack by grabbing one weight from another pile stacked next to him]

 _ **Daikirai daisuki chanto shaberanakya ningyou to sashite kawaranai shi**_  
[Cassanova sits at a desk, testing the elasticity of his bandages, writing down numbers and equations. He pulls up the paper to glance at it closer and finds that he can't read the writing very well. Waving the paper back and forth in front of his face, he rolls his eyes and claps his face with his right hand in the realization he may need reading glasses]

 _ **Aah! Yoimachi o yuku hitodakari**_

[The scene suddenly jumps to the two men facing a young woman with striking amber eyes holding two, bladed tonfas in her hands, a menacing look on her face. Cassanova's face is stern, Arashi has a hand on his katanas.]

 _ **Wa ureshi sou dattari – sabishisou dattari**_

[A woman with a cigarette in her mouth and holding a pistol faces Arashi as he merely faces her, katanas undrawn. She shoots her shot, and he runs at her, darting past the bullets as the viewer becomes the woman, watching Arashi draw his swords]

 _ **Kontorasuto ga gosenfu o tobimawari**_

[Cassanova stands face to face with a marine captain. The camera first pans over the marine, who wears a red fox hat with pointy ears, blond hair sticking out in tufts under the edge of the hat, and a stern look on his face. Cassanova stands in front of the young woman from before, who has a shocked look on her face.]

 _ **Uta to rizumu ni naru**_

[The marine lashes out at Cassanova with three fingered claws, the slashes flying out at him. He dodges, and stretches his arm back, a smirk on his face]  
 _ **  
**_ _ **Mamaredo ni shugaa songu piinattsu ando bitaasuteppu**_

 _ **Amakute nigakute me ga mawarisou desu**_

[The camera switches to Arashi, fighting a marine lieutenant commander who bears a polearm. The young marine wears a white marine cap backwards on his head, and fights with a polearm. Arashi slashes in a spiral in the air, creating a whirlwind in the air.]

 _ **Nannansei o mezashite paatii o tsuzukeyou sekaijuu o odorokaseteshimau yoru ni naru**_

[Cassanova fights the same marine captain from before, white webbing coming out from his wrists as the captain cuts through the webbing, slashing with his claws at Cassanova. Cassanova lands on the ground and smashes his fists into it, a red light gleaming in his eyes as he looks up with a fanged smile]

 _ **I FEEL joujou rensa ni natte rifurekuto!**_

[Cassanova and Arashi collide, back to back as they create a tandem attack together; Cassanova mounts on Arashi's katanas as Arashi spins in the air, launching Cassanova off and he shoots a mass of webbing at the camera]

 _ **SOMEDAY kyousou ga iki o hisometemo**_

 _ **SOMEDAY seiron ni imi ga nakunattemo**_

[A young Cassanova holding a newspaper clipping of Monkey D. Luffy mounts himself on a window seat, looking at the night sea as the stars glitter in the sky. The camera zooms in closer to see him thumbing a separate picture of Trafalgar Law and his own crew]

 _ **FEELING SONG & STEP narashitsudzukeru koto dake ga**_

 _ **Bokutachi o bokutachi tarashimeru shoumei ni naru, Q.E.D.!**_

[The camera spins around the young boy, seamlessly transitioning into a young man standing at the same window, holding the same clipping from 20 years ago. He turns, and the scenery changes to a dark field facing the much older Law as he holds his nodachi and creates a Room, flipping the camera over into another scene]

 _ **Mamareedo shugaa songu piinattsu ando bitaa suteppu**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Ikiteku riyuu o soko ni utsushidase**_

[The scenery changes to a green field, with Arashi, the same amber-eyed girl from earlier, a grinning tiger mink, a blue haired man smiling lightly and a dark mahogany ship behind them.]

 _ **Hokuhokuto wa kouhou e sono kyori ga hokorashii**_ _ **  
**_ _ **Sekaijuu o, odorokasetsudzukeyou**_

[He steps closer to his crew, holding a hand out as the rest of them join in in a circle, bringing their hands in and then raising them in the air as a cheer as the camera follows their hands and disappears into the glittering sunlight.]

 _ **Mamareedo ni shugaa songu piinattsu ando bitaa suteppu**_

 _ **Amakute nigakute me ga mawarisou desu**_

[The same four people including Cassanova stand on the deck as the tiger mink whips the wheel of the ship around, as they are being chased by marine ships, avoiding cannon balls and whirlpools as they evade the marines]

 _ **Nannansei o mezashite paatii o tsuzukeyou sekaijuu o odorokasete shimau yoru ni naru**_

[The camera dives around the different crew members fighting the marines; Arashi slashes a cannon in two with his two katanas, the tiger mink punches one out of the way with Electro, the girl places her thumb and pointer fingers together and marines trying to make their way up the ship pass out, the blue-haired man throws knives at incoming marines, and Cassanova swings his way through his ship with his webbing, kicking a cannon ball out of the way as it explodes onto the watcher]

 _ **I FEEL joujou rensa ni natte rifurekushon**_

[The scene changes to the same marine captain and his lieutenant commander, panning over their bodies. The captain wears a marine coat over his shoulders, a dark orange suit under his jacket. The lieutenant commander has a determined look on his young face, wearing jean overalls and a white marine jacket]

 _ **GOES ON ikkyou satte ichinan satte mata ikkyou**_

[The camera pans through three outlines of menacing looking marines, their faces covered by shadows, and turns to the final fleet admiral, short but wild pink hair held up by a green hairband and purple glasses, a stern smile on his face.]

 _ **Woah oh~ ichinan satte mata ikkyou**_

[A wide shot of the ship coasting the waters as Sea Kings pass by it]

 _ **WE GOT HAPPINESS, PHRASE & THE MELODIES**_

[The scene switches to the deck of the ship, showing the crew. With each beat after the end of the lyrics, it shows a smiling face of each crew member, ending with Cassanova's face. He grins and covers the camera with his hand, going to black.]

* * *

 **II**

 **There's Nothing for us Here. An Island Full of Farmers and the Mysterious Girl with Amber Eyes!**

Arashi lowered the anchor as the ship hit the dock.

After sailing for some time, the two newly minted pirates had found an island in the distance that the two decided to stop and rest at. Neither of them knew quite enough about navigation in order to navigate well towards Loguetown. Cassanova had hoped to find a navigator in Loguetown itself, but after falling into a whirlpool, bumping into a thunderstorm and clashing with a hurricane for the fifth time, he realized they needed a navigator sooner than later. He lowered himself off the ship and brushed himself off as the swordsman finished tying the knots of the anchor's rope. The captain examined the sight before him, and let a small sigh escape his lips.

There really wasn't much. As much as Cassanova liked to deny his royal blood, he was used to a certain standard of living. This type of farming community was definitely not one of them.

The vast island was covered in all kinds of farms, from cattle to fruits, the entire island was devoted to the art of farming.

"We're not going to find much action here, Arashi," Cassanova murmured, running a hand through his silver hair.

"It's fine," the swordsman stood next to him. "We came here for supplies and directions. A farming community is perfect-bu."

Cassanova chuckled. "You're right." Arashi had a tendency to be verbally dense at times, but his friend was right. They had stopped for supplies, that was all. The two only had to be here for a limited amount of time, and then it was off to the next island.

The dried dirt crunched under their feet as Cassanova wiped the sweat from his forehead. His choice of a dark blazer and turtleneck may have been the wrong decision, but the monochrome colors and heavy styles were his standard, and nothing else.

An aroma of sour lemons tinged their noses, mingled with the laughter of an older couple in their fifties and the acrid smell of mulch. Arashi's head bobbed around the corner of a lemon patch. An elderly couple was standing, crouched among the roots of a dying lemon tree, tending to the dry soil around the plant. Cassanova followed the swordsman's movements, and caught the eye of the old woman. Her eyes widened first at the sight of them. He honestly did not blame her. A heavily tanned swordsman with wild dark blue hair and a rich noble covered in tattoos and rings was not a sight she would've seen normally on the island.

"C-Can I help you?" she said, swiftly changing her look of shock into a warm smile.

Cassanova opened his mouth to speak. "We just docked here and were wondering if we could find a market of some sort-"

Arashi jabbed Cassanova in the stomach, motioning himself holding a wheel in his hands and steering himself.

"-and directions to the next populated island," Cassanova finished, shooting an annoyed look at Arashi. "You'll have to excuse my friend here, he's a bit shy around strangers."

To this, Arashi nodded his acknowledgment.

"What you're really trying to say is that you're lost, you need some food and a navigator, am I right?" the old lady asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Cassanova was taken aback. "Yes. Please."

"Come with us," her husband stood and motioned towards the house that sat among the grove of lemons. "You'll have to forgive the smell. We were trying to rejuvenate this here tree."

He patted the rough, knotted trunk with equally rugged hands.

"Harvest has been terrible this year," a troubled look clouded the old woman's face. "That never means a good thing."

"That's talk for another time," the old man gave his wife a quick, but meaningful look which wasn't lost on Cassanova.

A flash of amber and the slight sound of wind caught Cassanova's eye and he turned sharp, looking into a bunch of leaves and lemons, searching for the source of sudden color.

"What is it-bu?" Arashi murmured.

"I thought I saw-" Cassanova's voice trailed off. "Nothing. Let's go."

The old couple led the odd pair of pirates to their rustic cabin. It was old, and in deep need of repair, but it was homey. _A good place,_ Arashi decided in his head as he examined the home.

"You like?" the old woman smiled at Arashi, noticing his appreciation.

He looked taken aback, and then smiled, feeling the rough, sanded down wood of the walls.

"Good," she said, and laid out a bowl of fruit and slices of prosciutto and cheese on a separate plate. "You must be hungry. You look like you come from afar."

Cassanova's eyes narrowed as he pulled up a chair to the table. She was probing. He had to be careful not to mention his family's name. Arashi seemed to have picked up on the old woman's quickness as well.

"Yes," he started out slowly. "We were trying to get to Loguetown."

"Traveling into the Grand Line?"

 _Shit. This baachan was sharp._ "Yes," Cassanova confirmed. "We want to sail the Grand Line and see what it has to offer."

"So you're explorers," the old man said.

"Yes." This wasn't exactly a lie. They were out to explore the Grand Line. Just not simply explore, but to conquer as pirates.

"What are your names?"

"I'm Lynch Cassanova," the silver-haired man said. "And this is my friend, Juumonji Arashi."

 _Flash._ There it was again. That sudden color of amber-

 **BANG!** Something hurtled into Cassanova and he flew out the front door of the cabin, Arashi following in pursuit. The silver-haired man rolled on the ground in a ball of dust and sand. Quickly recovering, he stood up and spat onto the ground, tasting the dirty grime in his mouth.

"Quinn!" he heard the old woman cry.

"What was that?" the man growled.

Arashi merely pointed to a girl holding two bladed tonfas in her hand, a fierce look on her face.

"Quinn!" the old man shouted. "What are you doing?"

"Don't come closer, Ojii-chan, Obaa-chan!" the young woman shouted. "These men are pirates!"

"How can you accuse them of that?" the old woman said.

"I saw you flying the Jolly Roger when you docked onto our island!" the girl spat. "Even flying that is a crime against the World Government! Helping these people could get you arrested!"

"So what if we're pirates?" Cassanova asked in a dangerously low voice. He stretched his arms out, letting the cuff of his sleeves come up and allowing the girl to see the white twin scars on his wrists. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I'll sure as hell try!" she yelled and charged at Cassanova, who only rolled his eyes and gave her a bored look.

 **CLANG!** Her tonfas collided with the sheath of a katana, the face of a tan swordsman drawing close next to hers. The katana was latched on firmly underneath the blade, but barely missing her fingers, showing his expert swordsmanship. She pushed in desperation. No matter how hard she pushed, no matter how much her arms shook, the swordsman would not budge. It didn't even look like he was trying. He hadn't even drawn the blade.

"You shouldn't play with sharp objects," he said quietly. "You could hurt yourself."

She gritted her teeth in anger. "Fight me yourself!"

"I'd kill you before you even tried," Cassanova replied in a bored tone.

She spat on the ground in anger and lept back, dropping her Tonfas. Arashi furrowed his brow. What was she doing?

" **Sweet Dreams**!" She shouted and placed her thumb and forefinger together.

Nothing happened.

"Eh?" she looked to be in despair. " **Sweet Dreams!"**

Nothing.

A small smile cracked on Cassanova's face. "You're a Devil Fruit user, aren't you."

"What?" she asked breathlessly. The man was smarter than anyone she had ever met.

"It looks like your powers can't hold us down," he smiled.

"Why you-" she snarled.

"Stop!" the old woman walked out in between the fight. "Stop this insolent fight!"

"Obaa-chan!" the girl cried. "These men are dangerous!"

"I invited them into our home," she said, and then turned to the two men. "I apologize for her sudden outburst."

She sighed. "We'll give you supplies and a map, but I am afraid you'll have to go. We don't want any trouble with the marines."

"Completely understandable," Cassanova said graciously, and gave the girl a pointed look. "I'm glad that some people around here have manners."

The girl hissed at him, but the old woman held her back.

"I apologize for her behavior. She isn't normally like that," the old woman said. "Get inside, Quinn."

Quinn turned to leave, passing by Cassanova and shoving a finger into his chest. He stared down at her. Cassanova was tall, and he dwarfed the young woman. He eyed her compared to himself. Her height barely reached a meter and a half. "You better not harm them."

"I'm not that kind of pirate," he replied. "Little girl."

The young woman slunk off. Arashi watched her leave as he placed his katana back on his hip. He understood that they were pirates, and therefore seen as a danger to society. But to be that passionate? He turned and watched as Cassanova received directions from the old lady. Her husband had mentioned something about harvest being bad, and how that meant it was a bad omen. Something wasn't right about this island. The swordsman sniffed. Something stunk.

"Hey I didn't hear about this!" a voice whispered behind him.

"Since when did they hire a guide dog for the orchard?"

Arashi slowly moved his hand towards his katanas.

"Just creep right onto him. He hasn't even noticed we're here!"

 **SWISH! SLASH! CLANG!** Swift hands and an effortless slash by Arashi led to the two men's swords falling out of their hands. He pressed the blunt edge of his blades onto the neck of the bandits necks. The bearded, masked men backed into the trees, swallowing hard at the sight of the blade nearing their jugulars.

"What are people like your kind doing at an innocent farm like this?" Arashi asked, a glint in his grey eyes.

"W-We were hired!" one of them cried.

"Please don't kill us!" the other yelped.

"Who hired you?" Arashi pressed.

"The girl!" the said. "She pretends to be the model citizen for the town but she secretly runs the town's black market!"

"What girl?"

 **XXX**

Cassanova stepped out of elderly couple's house, thanking them for their help. Looking behind him and realizing that Arashi was nowhere to be found, the man decided to make his way into town. The swordsman would find his way back to him somehow, he wasn't worried about that. He trudged on, his long, skinny legs took him quickly to where the dirt road turned into cobblestone. Cassanova felt the eyes of the villagers all on him -he was quite obviously a traveler- but no one approached him. At least no one had until the young woman stepped on his shoe and stumbled forward.

"Oh my," she smiled. "I'm terribly sorry."

Cassanova only stared. The young woman could have been beautiful, if not for the ugly scar that marred the side of her face. Her long brown hair was tossed aside casually over her shoulder and she wore revealing clothing -the woman knew she looked good.

She looked unnerved at his steady gaze. Giving him another quick smile, she turned to go, but a quick hand latched onto her elbow.

"Give it back," the man said.

She turned and looked slowly at the foreigner addressing her. The seriousness of his gaze would have normally made her blush -the man was what society would call stunningly handsome- but it filled her with fear.

"G-Give what back?" she simpered.

"My ring," he said. "Give it back."

She swallowed, and making sure not to draw too much attention to herself, reached into her upper sleeve and pulled out a golden ring. Cassanova extended his palm out for her to drop it in, and she placed it slowly into his hand.

"Thank you," he said, and let her go.

She quickly escaped his grasp and disappeared into a nearby alleyway. Cassanova slipped the ring onto his finger and silently followed her footsteps. His senses had tingled when she had taken the ring off his finger -there was something not right about her.

Walking into the dark alley, his eyes adjusted from the bright sun for a moment, and then refocused. There was a bright light at the end of the alley, most likely another way out to the other street. He steadily made his way forward, but heard the smattering of footsteps and dove behind a dumpster.

"There's a dangerous guy here on this island." He heard the same woman's voice echo through the alley, but her voice was rough, and more coarse. His lips pursed into a line. The cute, lilting voice had all been an act.

"When I tried to steal his ring, he grabbed me and," the voice stopped. Cassanova leaned out of his hiding place to see what she was doing. "I had the weirdest rush of fear. I've never had that before."

"Then we need to hurry," a different man's voice said. "That guy could cause trouble for us."

"That's what I've been saying!" the woman replied.

"Shh!" a third voice joined the mix. "Keep our voices down!"

"Take a look at this," the first man drew out a poster from his bag.

"Quinn," the woman murmured. Cassanova's eyes narrowed. The same Quinn that had attacked him? "She has a bounty?!"

"I told you to keep your voice down!"

"Not only do your petty agendas get taken care of, but we also get a boatload of money," the man said. "Sounds even better now, doesn't it?"

"Yes," the woman laughed. "I'm gonna get after her. I'll ruin her! I'll kill her if I have to!"

 _Kill?_ Cassanova leaned back into his hiding spot. _What the hell was going on with this island?_

 _Secret bandits? A bounty on a country bumpkins head? The puzzle pieces of the island are ever changing for Cassanova and Arashi, both of whom are still separated on the island. Without the commands of his captain, Arashi has no choice but to heed his gut, and intervenes!_ _ **On the next episode of Hearts of the Children; Grudges and Guts! The Real Intents of Naiha Yoku, Bandit!**_

* * *

 _ **A/N:**_ _Hoped you liked that chapter! It took a lot longer than I had hoped to get this out but I'm hoping that's gonna change. Again, please send in characters, and_ _ **PLEASE REVIEW!**_

 _ **Translations:**_

 _Obaa-chan: Grandma, old lady_

 _Ojii-chan: Granpa, old man_

 _Baachan: slang for old lady. Typically seen as more rude and casual._

 _Nogyuo: Farming_

 _ **The following have been filled:**_

 _Captain/Doctor: Lynch Cassanova -mine_

 _First Mate/Swordsman: Juumonji Arashi -mine_

 _Musician: Kurokiba Leviathan - Mekyaku_

 _Cook: Raider Raiden - flamesofthebluebird_

 _Cabin Boy: Daniel - flamesofthebluebird_

 _Navigator: DeMalia Quinn - JimmyGrape13_

 _Sniper: Ninbus James - Flaming Fate Zero_

 _Scout: Toffee - JackHammerMan_

 _Explosives Expert: Galia - tobi-is-an-artist-too_

 _ **Marines:**_

 _Unnamed Vice Admiral: Reduced20_

 _Unnamed Captain: mine_

 _Unnamed Lieutenant Commander: mine_


	3. The Real Intentions of Naiha Yoku!

_**A/N:**_ _I sent out a mass PM apologizing to the lot of you -you deserve it. I've left you hanging with no start in sight and you have all waited patiently. For that I thank you. I hope not to disappoint._

 _I have also a concern that's risen to my attention. Another SYOC has appeared on this fanfiction site and while their story is unlike mine (I haven't read deep enough to really see if it's similar) their OC form appears to be ripped and changed directly from mine. Now, I have taken my own OC form from VisionaryDame on DeviantArt, but I've taken the time to think and modify it accordingly. Do I have a right to be upset that they have basically used my modified template word for word? Even the help descriptions I've added (i.e How do you want them to join the crew? Under what circumstance would they join? (Like Robin's arc? Gets something important of his saved like Sanji? Gets something important back like Brook?) [If you don't know, put down N/A and we'll talk about it]) That kind of thing is ripped directly from mine, with the examples of Robin, Sanji and Brook all in the same order. I'd just like to get credit for the work that I have put in to think of important things for my OCs and I want to know if I'm right in being somewhat upset._

 _You guys know the drill -if you want to submit an OC, head on over to my profile page and fill in the correct information with the OC form that's up on there. If you like OC insert stories, that's what I've been focusing the majority of my time on, so go and check them out. What I've also decided with this one is that it's going to be set out a little like a tv show -chapters will be shorter and you'll be left with more cliffhangers. If you all don't like that just say in the reviews section. Please review; constructive criticism is awesome! Without further ado, here we go!_

 _***Quinn DeMalia belongs to JimmyEatsGrape***_

* * *

 _Cassanova is shocked to hear what he had just witnessed the woman threaten to do to Quinn. Torn between his promise with the old woman not to come back, and his moral duty, he sits in his place, wondering what to do. Meanwhile, Arashi questions the two bandits he exposed back down at the elderly couple's farm and moves further to get to the bottom of this..._

 **III**

 **Grudges and Guts! The Real Intents of Naiha Yoku, Bandit!**

Arashi pushed his blades deeper into the bandit's throats. _"What girl?"_

"Aiieeee!" one of them screeched. "Alright, alright! We'll tell you!"

Arashi didn't reply, only released the pressure slightly on their necks.

"Naiha Yoku," they whimpered. "She's the real black bandit of this town! Stealing food, supplies, and tools for us, the Mountain Monkey Bandits, who live in the hills!"

"We live just over the crest of those hills there -it's not that far of a stretch!"

Arashi didn't show any look of comprehension, still leaving the katanas in their place.

"S-She's a real looker!" the bandits supplied, realizing that they hadn't said enough. "Got long brown hair, smokes a cigarette -but her most striking feature is this ugly scar on the side of her face."

"Scar?" Arashi asked.

"Yes," they replied, looking relieved that he had finally responded. "She would have been beautiful, if not for the scar."

"I see," Arashi murmured to himself.

"Y-Yes!" they squeaked. "Now can you let us go?"

The Niitoryu user raised both of his katanas, and the bandits screamed, fearing for their lives. **BANG! BONK!** The butts of the katanas smashed into the sides of their heads. He watched as their weak, lifeless bodies hit the ground, and sighed, returning his katanas to their rightful position on his hip.

"You two are fools-bu," he muttered and walked off towards the lush, green hills where the bandits had pointed him.

 **xxx**

Cassanova sighed as he put his face in hands. This is why he hated having a moral compass. The old woman obviously didn't want him back but he had just overheard a plot to kill that girl who they housed. He stood up, brushing himself off, a look of faint annoyance but determination in his green eyes. There was no point in talking himself out of it -he had to help that elderly couple and the girl.

"It's no use," he muttered. "She's no damsel in distress but she needs our help."

Facing the wall, he rolled up his sleeves, revealing the small, white scars on his wrists that he had previously, during the confrontation with the girl. Out from the scars shot a thin, white thread which attached itself to the edge of the wall. The silver-haired man gave a slight tug on the threads, testing out their connectivity to the wall's edge and then lodged his feet in a stable stance on the ground, pulling vigorously. His knees bent and then he leapt into the air, flying high and rolling into a front tuck as he neatly landed on the roof. From his view on the roof, he could see the entirety of the small town, observing that there were dark, lush green hills looming behind, sparking his interest. The hills gave him a strange feeling, and he knew after everything that had happened to him, never to mistrust his senses. Casanova stared it down, dark verdant meeting stark green as he finally gave it one more glance and stared off into the direction of the small farm.

His eyebrow twitched. Something was wrong. A small cloud of smoke billowed up from the area and he knew -the girl and her caretakers were in danger. The young man sprinted forward, leaping across the buildings in almost inhuman bounds, running with a grace that was seen only in primal animals. Another long white strand shot out from his wrist and he launched himself off the rooftops, swinging down in a whoosh of black fabric.

His black boots clattered on the road where it transitioned from cobblestone to dirt road. The dust around him billowed as he pumped his arms, sprinting faster as he watched the smoke pile up at an alarming rate into the air.

"That spitfire of a girl better not be dead,"he growled, gritting his teeth.

Skirting around the corner, he slowed down as he arrived at the burning house, timbers already creaking and groaning under the power of the fire. There was a group of men with buckets and water, dumping load after load onto the roaring flames but to no avail. Cassanova was not one to sweat profusely, but the thick smoke and the heat haze of the fiery furnace made his eyes water and his breath choke. He felt a small beading of sweat appear on his nose and upper lip, and raised his black shirt to wipe the perspiration off.

Walking past the group of men, he shot out another thin string of white webbing and flung the door open with a loud crack and a bang.

"Oi, Onii-chan!" one of the men shouted. "What're you think you're doing?"

Cassanova didn't reply, merely stepping closer towards the flaming house.

"What're you doing!" they yelled. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

He glanced lazily towards the group of men, his neck lolling in a carefree way. "Just wait."

He walked slowly into the burning building, warily stepping around gaping holes in the foundation. It was almost unrecognizable from just hours ago. The table where he had sat with Arashi and the old woman was burnt to a crisp. The small, rustic kitchen was now a black, charred mess, the cabinets lumped together after being exposed to extreme heat. There was two bodies lying slumped on the floor, and Cassanova rushed to them, quickly but cautiously.

A brief once over told him that the body on the left was the old woman, and on the right, her husband. They were unconscious, but alive. His intuition told him that they would most likely survive the fire.

Slinging the woman over his shoulder and grabbing the man by the waist, he pushed past the smoke through the crumbling door and placed the two bodies gently on the ground. The group of men huddled around him, peering with concern at the elderly couple.

"They have a few minor burns. Get them to an infirmary in town and get the doctors to treat them right away," Cassanova ordered as he slipped on a latex glove with a sharp snap and pried open a large gash, emitting webbing from his free left hand.

"W-What is that?" a man asked fearfully

"How can we trust you?" a woman accused.

"I'm a doctor," Cassanova said, glaring at her. "Now get these two to an infirmary!"

The group scurried forward to snatch the bodies, when a young man stepped forward towards Cassanova, catching his eye. He seemed to be about Quinn's age, flyaway brown hair falling in his eyes and young, but intelligent blue eyes. The young man looked nervous but he didn't seem to fear the pirate, rather, he seemed to be anxious to ask him something.

"Yes?" Cassanova asked, letting intuition speak for him.

"There's one more person who lives here," he said quickly, words spilling out. "She's a girl my age, she lives with the old lady and the-"

"I know," Cassanova said, clapping his shoulder and cutting him off. "Don't worry, I've got her."

Without waiting for a reply from the boy, Cassanova rushed back into the house, this time, ignoring the living room and kitchen. He shot out white webbing from his wrists and nimbly jumped from falling step to crumbling wall, back to falling steps again.

 **Cccrrraaacckkk!** As Cassanova slid onto the second floor, the stairs that he had previously climbed up on, had begun to crumble apart. With fast alarm, he quickly shot out webbing, trying to salvage the last of the steps and give himself a way out. It was no use. The heat of the flames was much too hot for his webbing to grab hold of the falling timber. A gaping hole roared up at him as he stood nervously above the dangerous edge.

Spinning around himself and ignoring his predicament, he found that the second floor was in a worse state than the ground level. Two rooms were burned so badly that Cassanova could hardly see into them, the rooms practically becoming a fiery furnace for those who dared step inside. He gritted his teeth. There was only one door left.

 _She better be in there. Damn nuisance of a girl!_

He kicked open the door, lifting up his arms as sparks flew out, the newly released pressure of the closed door bringing flames dangerously close to his face. Squinting through the smoke, he could barely make out a still, female form on the floor of what now poorly resembled a bedroom after the lashing of the flames.

Rolling the body over, he recognized the now relaxed features of the younger woman who had attacked him. Her freckled skin was covered in ash and soot and her already choppy hair was charred at the edges.

"You look like a little boy," Cassanova grunted as he lifted her up.

He searched the halls, looking for a way out, but the only way out was down where steps used to be. It was too dangerous to try and make the jump. Walking back into her room, Cassanova coughed as the smoke grew thicker, threatening to strangle his throat. He didn't have much time until he himself would collapse of heat exhaustion and smoke.

The window caught his eye. The house was not too high off the ground and if he timed it right -his eyes narrowed. It was quite frankly, their only way out if they wanted to live.

The girl stirred in his arms. Looking down, her amber eyes met his as she saw a furrow of concern on his face. In the midst of all the danger of life or death, a single thought came to her mind.

 _Cute…_

"Oi, woman," he growled, and immediately the endearing thought was ripped out of her mind.

She grunted, feeling cracked ribs on her right side. "What?"

"Do you trust me?"

"Trust you?" she hissed. "What kind of damn -oh!"

Without waiting for her full reply, he drew her close to his chest and barreled out the window, shoulder first. A whoosh of air sounded behind them, the pair flew out of the glass window in a mixture of debris and smoke. With a boom, the air in the room exploded, and Quinn cried out in fear, burrowing deeper into Cassanova's surprisingly hard chest despite herself.

Twisting around himself, Cassanova shot out webbing that attached itself to the house, allowing him to land ever so gracefully onto the dirt ground of the now ruined farm. The young man who had asked Cassanova to save Quinn rushed out, watching as the pirate laid his friend on the ground with gentleness that he had not expected of the man.

A quick look over confirmed to Cassanova that she had broken three ribs on her right side. From the way they had broken, it seemed as though she had been kicked, or beaten in some way. Gash on the forehead would require stitches and a check to see if her respiratory system had been damaged would be good. Cassanova stood up to leave, not one to bask in the glory of saving three people. His work was done here.

"Wait." The man felt a slight tug on his pants leg.

It was Quinn, gazing at him with such an intensity that he knelt down in to hear what she had to say.

"Naiha Yoku," she coughed, and her male friend's face grew dark. "The hills, over there. That's who attacked me. She's got a grudge on me for reasons I have no idea of."

Cassanova said nothing, as Quinn's face appeared to go through several emotions at once. When she had finally sorted things out, the girl opened her mouth again,

"Help," she said, tears threatening to spill out. "You're the only one that can save this town from them."

Cassanova gave her a steady gaze. "You did attack me earlier. You're asking me a big favor, you do know that right?"

Her eyes cast downwards. "I understand. I've just a problem with pirates. They always bring unwanted attention."

Her voice trailed off as Cassanova stayed silent, giving her the same, impassive look. She knew that he wanted her to beg for his help. He was a sadist until he got what he want. Quinn opened her mouth, swallowing her pride.

"I'll give you anything, money, food, a ship, anything," she stopped, coughing violently.

"Anything?" the man asked.

"Anything," Quinn shook her head in affirmation. "I need help. Please."

"Then join Arashi and I," he said, without hesitation. "You will become our navigator."

"Wha-?!" in an outrage, Quinn moved to sit up, but winced as she felt her ribs scream in pain. "How could you say such a thing?"

"I saw the maps and the navigational charts spread out on the floor when I was previously invited into your home," he said quickly, recollecting his earlier, less dangerous encounter with the house. "You told me anything. If you don't agree with this deal, Arashi and I will leave, and your town will be forever plagued by these bandits."

Quinn gritted her teeth. Cassanova was smart. Smarter than she had made him out to be. Yet something about him intrigued her. Was it the proud way he walked? Was it the air of cool confidence that he never lost, despite of the situation? Was it his wit? His intelligence?

"Alright," she finally said, almost spitting out the words. "I'll join your crew on the condition that you really get rid of these bandits."

Cassanova grinned, showing blinding white teeth. "Oh it'll be no problem."

"Quinn!" the boy suddenly interjected. "You can't possibly join forces with this pirate!"

"She just did boy," Cassanova said coldly. "Don't interfere."

"Tashi," Quinn said. "I made a deal. Please. Don't make things worse."

"She's right, _Tashi_ ," Cassanova said, sarcastically. "Don't make things worse."

The boy looked disgruntled. "At least-"

"At least what," the silver-haired man said.

"At least give her something that promises you'll keep your word."

Cassanova raised an eyebrow.

"No, Tashi!" Quinn said, and then turned to Cassanova. "You don't have to, really."

Cassanova merely slipped off the gold ring that Naiha had robbed of him earlier and held it out. "Take it."

Quinn tentatively took the rather heavy gold ring in her hand, rubbing her thumb over the black edge with the initials, J.M in the middle.

"My name is Lynch Cassanova," the pirate said, holding out his hand.

"Quinn," she said, taking his hand. "Quinn Beth DeMalia."

"Well DeMalia," Lynch Cassanova smiled, taking on his rather demonic grin once more. "We have ourselves a deal."

 _With the promise of Quinn DeMalia to become navigator once this was over, Cassanova rushes to the hills where he meets Arashi. The two men begin a rampage on the bandit camp, when a heart wrenching past is revealed, and who might it be, but the marines, already hot on their tail! Find out what happens next in_ _ **The Startling Past of Quinn DeMalia! Entrance of the Marine Captain, Sworn to Bring Criminals to Justice!**_

* * *

 **Replies to Reviews:**

 _ **Mekyaku:**_

 _Thanks, I'm glad you liked the opening as well. I've got the order of the songs I want to do for each arc already planned out a bit, but if you want to go ahead and recommend songs, I'll see if I can add them in!_

 _ **Arashi: Grahahaha… Hmm. I'm not scared for some reason-bu.**_

 _ **Brokula:**_

 _Thank you. Yes, we will be careful, but keep in mind, something I haven't yet really revealed yet, but these rookies, Cassanova and Arashi in particular, start out with a higher skill set than Luffy did, and they will also be much more intelligent. Well, Cassanova at times, and I'm not sure about Arashi so much._

 _ **Cassanova: He's right. Arashi only knows about swords.**_

 _ **Flaming Fate Zero:**_

 _I'm glad you enjoyed the opening. I like to give readers a taste of what my fic would be like as a tv anime, as that's how I'm imagining things as I write. This arc is definitely an ode to Oda-sensei; starting out small, and in a bit, something bigger._

 _I'm also seeing that you guys are liking the opening. Instead of like One Piece, where they don't match the openings with the start of a new arc, I think I will go ahead and match the openings with a new story arc each time so you guys can get more songs._

 _ **C: Oh, of course it's going to get bigger. Have you seen us? We're just getting started.**_

 _ **A: *chomps on raw, dried seaweed***_

 _ **C: Arashi! You're hurting my reputation here.**_

 _ **A: Want one-bu?**_

 _ **C: No… Not really….**_

 _ **tobi-is-an-artist-too:**_

 _I'm glad you like it! Quinn really is one of a kind, and we'll see that more come into play as we get to know her more!_

 _ **C: She's a pain of a woman.**_

 _ **A: Be nice.**_

 _ **flamesofthebluebird:**_

 _Thanks for the review. All your questions will be answered in due time!_

 _ **C: Curiosity. It's good.**_

 _ **WhitewolfLune:**_

 _Thanks so much for following and I'm glad you've sent in an OC!_

 _ **Grimnack:**_

 _Thank you! We talked a bit about it over private messaging and I hope to hear back from you soon._

 _ **Vergil Leonidas:**_

 _Hey there. It's nice to see a familiar face. Thank you for checking out my other stories and I'm glad that although these types of stories are not your cup of tea, I've got you interested. That's praise enough for me._

 _ **C: Stop kissing up just because she's friends with a devil.**_

 _I'm not kissing up, it's called honesty. You should try it sometime._

 _ **C: I am dead honest. Always.**_

 _ **A: It's true… He makes me cry every day with his blunt honesty.**_

 _Anyways, guys go on. I'm glad you enjoy the familiarity. It will have a few twists and turns in the end, but hopefully something similar but different will be fresh but familiar to you readers. Good luck with your own writing -I hope to see more of Vergil soon._

 _ **sarge1130:**_

 _Cassanova adores Law. He hates to admit it but he's got kind of a crush on him._

 _ **C: Oh dear Lord, I do not. Shut it, Author.**_

 _ **The following have been filled:**_

 _Captain/Doctor: Lynch Cassanova -mine_

 _First Mate/Swordsman: Juumonji Arashi -mine_

 _Musician: Kurokiba Leviathan - Mekyaku_

 _Cook: Raider Raiden - flamesofthebluebird_

 _Cabin Boy: Daniel - flamesofthebluebird_

 _Navigator: DeMalia Quinn - JimmyGrape13_

 _Sniper: Ninbus James - Flaming Fate Zero_

 _Scout: Toffee - JackHammerMan_

 _Explosives Expert: Galia - tobi-is-an-artist-too_

 _Blacksmith: Ezylyn - WhitewolfLune_

 _ **Marines:**_

 _Unnamed Vice Admiral: Reduced20_

 _Unnamed Captain: mine_

 _Unnamed Lieutenant Commander: mine_

 _ **Shichibukai:**_

 _Chisato Mieko: JimmyEatsGrape_


End file.
